How to Choose the Right Work Gloves for Your Trade

Did you know that there are about 7 million workplace injuries per year? That’s a pretty big number don’t you think? This is why you need to take all necessary precautions and try your best to avoid potential accidents and risky situations. And the best way to go about it is by wearing appropriate safety equipment that will effectively minimise the damage. Do you think you’ll do fine without it? Think again. Whether it’s a simple cut or muscle sprain, wearing appropriate protective gear can have a huge impact on the eventual outcome.

With that in mind, there’s one particular type of safety equipment that requires special attention. Think about it this way, what body part do you use the most when you’re going about your daily tasks? That’s right, it’s your hands. They come into contact with all kinds of liquids and machinery throughout work hours which is why you need to take special care of them. To do this, you’ll need to have a look at protective work gloves that will keep you out of harm’s way. Here’s a quick breakdown of all the essential information you need to choose the most suitable pair.

What Are the Different Types of Work Gloves?

To begin with, we’ll briefly explain the most common types of work gloves along with a handful of their fundamental characteristics.

Cut Resistant

If you’re the type of person that does a lot of woodwork and construction, or even something as simple as gardening duty, you’ll need gloves that will keep those annoying scrapes and cuts at bay. Depending on the type of cut hazards you’re experiencing at work, you can either go with plain leather as the most basic option or stainless steel mesh and kevlar for some high-end protection.

Liquid Resistant

For those of you that do plumbing, vehicle repairs or work with harsh chemicals, you’ll need to get work gloves that are resistant to the particular liquids you’re dealing with. If you want to find out more information, read through the safety data sheet for the chemical you’re working with so that you can find a suitable protective material. Most models feature a padded rubber exterior along with a water-resistant interior for the best results.

Heat and Cold Resistant

When it comes to tasks involving extreme temperatures and hot substances, you have to wear special safety gloves that keep you safe from sparks and severe burns. Moreover, the gloves’ fire-resistant capabilities have a built-in retardant that prevents them from igniting.

Similarly, when you’re a part of jobs taking place in cold conditions, like shovelling snow or dealing with freezers, you should look for working gloves that offer adequate protection from the low temperatures. The right pair should be lined with an insulating material that will effectively minimise the risk of hypothermia.

Electrical Insulation

We all know that jobs involving hands-on engineering and wirework can easily lead to an electric shock, especially if you’re not being careful. For this reason, you should pick materials that are non-conductive, like rubber or leather, so that you don’t have to fear for your life every time you go near a source of electricity.

How Do You Choose the Right Work Gloves?

Now that you’re familiar with the types, let’s go over a couple of things that can provide additional safety at your workplace.

Assess Your Risks

First thing’s first, you need to think about what aspects of your job pose as the greatest risk to your safety and general well-being. While simple lightweight gloves are more than capable of decreasing workplace hazards by a considerable degree, you’ll get maximum protection if you have a pair that is specifically designed to withstand the not-so-pleasant circumstances of your particular trade. In other words, do your research and carefully assess potential risks so that you know what to shop for.

Find a Good Fit

The size and fit of your work gloves can have a substantial impact on your comfort while wearing them. Feel free to try on a few different models so that you get a better idea of what feels good to you. A suitable pair of work gloves shouldn’t have a lot of free space around the tips of your fingers, palm or wrist. Instead, they should offer a snug fit around your hand as you secure them into place. In this way, they won’t slip off as you work or cause any discomfort.

Additional Work Gloves Features

Last but not least, if you really want to get the most out of your safety gloves, you should look into any extra features they might have. Who knows, they might come in handy when you least expect them. Here are just a few of our favourites:

Fingerless Gloves

No matter how much we try, handling any kind of object with gloves on is much more difficult than going bare-handed. So if you want to wear gloves without losing the inherent dexterity and flexibility of your fingers, getting fingerless or half-finger gloves is your best bet at a compromise. These types of gloves will keep your hands warm and protected all while offering unlimited mobility.

Touch Screen Pads

You know how many times you’ve had to remove your gloves to use a touch screen? Let us guess, too many times to count, right? If you want to get rid of this nuisance, you should get gloves that have touch-sensitive pads lined on the fingertip area. In this way, you won’t have to take them off every time you want to use your phone. Sounds pretty neat, don’t you agree?